krueger



Sept. 6, 1932. F, KRUEGER 1,875,469

APPARATUS FOR DRYING CAN ENDS CONTAINING A SEALING COMPOUND Filed Deo. ze, 1929 s sheets-sheet 1 @I 2 'IH if I f 1/6 50 y l Y i I O O O O 06 II'I 47 1Q 0 0 000m :g 0 0 o o @e "0 0 0 o @a 27 I#0000090/ llifx 'f /O 7 2 l 1 11 2G /f [I: t y B n INVENTOR.

MA1/ff@ MLM' A TTORNE YS.

Sept. 6, 1932.

F. KRUEGER 1,875,469

APPARATUS FOR DRYING CAN ENDS CONTAINING A SEALING COMPOUND Filed Dec. 26, 1929 ssheets-sneet 2 Gym IVENT?.

A TT ORNE YS.

APPARATUS FOR DRYING CAN ENDS CONTAINING A SEALING COMPOUND Filed Deo. 26. 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 BY A 3 m4] nv'a ATTORNEYS. A

Patented Sept. 6, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FRANK KRUEGER, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, .ASSIGNOB 0F SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, A. CORPORATION 0F 'ro mienne CAN oo., DELAWARE APPARATUS FOR- DRYING CAN ENDS CONTAINING A SEALING COMPOUND Application filed December 28, 1929. Serial No. 416,688.

This invention relates to an apparatus for drying can ends containing a sealing compound and especially to an apparatus of this character which is capable of receiving and handling can ends of different contours, such as round ends, oval, square, rectangular shaped ends, etc.

The object of the present invention is to generally improve and simplify the construction and operation of machines for d g can ends containing a sealing compoun to provide a vertically disposed rotary drier to which the can ends containing the compound to be dried are delivered to the bottom of the drier and discharged from the top thereof; to provide means for automatically delivering can ends to the bottom of the drier; to provide means for automatically dischargingthe ends from the top of the drier; to provide means for circulating hot dry air between the can ends while in the drier; to provide a drier of the rotary type which is continuous in operation, that is, capable of continuously receiving and discharging can ends; to provide a drier of this character to which one or more can ends may be delivered simultaneously; and further, to provide a drier which is capable of receiving and handling can ends of different contours such as round ends, oval, square, rectangular shaped ends, etc.

The drier is shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings, in vwhich-- Fig. 1 is a central vertical section of the drier,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same,

Fig. 3 is a plan View partially in secti on and partially broken away to show the manner in which the can ends are delivered one by one to the table within the drier,

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on line IV-IV of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail plan section taken on line VV of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings in detail and particularly Figs. 1 and 2, A indicates a base plate supported by feet or standards B, 2 a drive shaft supported and `iournalled in bearings 3, 4 and 5, 6 a vertically disposed driven shaft journalled in bearings 7 and 8, and 9 a table secured to the upper end of the shaft so as to be rotated thereby and functioning as a. bottom for a drier housing generally ind1cated at C. This housing is supported by an annular ring 10 carried by legs 11 from the base plate.

The housing consists of spaced annular outer walls 12 and 13 between which a heat insulating material is interposed and an inner annular Wall 14 which is perforated from end to end as shown at 15. The inner annular wall terminates at a point just above the surface of the table 9 so as to form a space 16 through which hot air will enter the drying chamber generally disclosed at 17. The inner annular wall is also provided with a bottom member 18 having a central opening 19 through which air is admitted to the space 16. The upper' end of the perforated annular wall is provided with a cone-shaped cover 20 and this is connected with a blower 21 and a pipe 22 which in turn is connected with a source of hot air not shown. The table 9 forms a bottom for the annular chamber 17 formed between the annular walls 12 and 14 while a cover member 23 closes the upper end. This cover has a volute passage formed in it as shown in Fig. 1, and which terminates in a stack 24 through which the air finally escapes or is returned to the source of hot air supply to be reheated and recirculated. The table 9 forming the bottom of the chamber is continuously rotated through the shafts 2 and 6 through means of a worm gear drive such as shown at 25 and 26 and the can ends containing the sealing compound to be dried are delivered to the surface of the table in any suitable manner through an inlet opening 27 or as here illustrated by a can end feeder such as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

The feeder consists of an endless conve or chain 30 supported by a pair of sproc et gears, one of which is shown at 31. This chain is provided with lugs 32 and the can ends containing the sealing compound are delivered 95 to the conveyor and fed forwardly by the lugs 32. Disposed above the sprocket 31 and reciprocally mounted in guideways 32 is a cross-` head 33 on which is mounted a pivoted feeding pawl 34. This head is reciprocated 10 through crank arms shown at 35, 36 and 37 and link 38 and 39. The can ends are fed forwardly by the sprocket chain to rest on the ledge 40 and are there enga d by the pawl 5 31 and fed inwardly into the rying chamber through the opening 27 during forward movement of the crosshead. It should here be noted thatthe edge of the table is beveled or provided with an inclined surface 9a. This is important as the can ends in bemg fed forwardly strike the inclined surface 9a and as such are ford in under the can ends shown at 42 regardless of how high they may be stacked. The can ends are not actually stacked as they will lie one on top of the other` in a more or less disorderly manner as shown in Fig. 5. This is due to the fact that the ends are introduced one by one by the feeder 34 as the table is slowly rotating. In other words, the table will a vance slightly while the crosshead is returning to introduce another end and the can ends will thus lie in a more or less step formation as they are introduced. This feature is im ortant as it permits introduction of can en s regardless of size or shape, oval ends being just as readily handled as round ends, square ends, etc. If the drier is empty to commence with chamber 17 will gradually lill up until the upper discharge opening indicated at 27a is reached. A spring arm 46 is secured to the inner wall of the chamber as shown in Fig. 1, at a point aligning with the opening 27a, thus eserts an outwar pressure on the ends as they pass the opening 27a, and forcing them outwardly into a discharge chute 27 from where they are carried to any point desired.

When the machine is in actual operation it will be understood that the hot air is being introduced continuousl by the blower 21. This enters the inner c amber 50 in the direction of arrow a, part of the air passing through the perforations 15 and a part through opening 19 into the space 16 and from there passes outwardly between the can ends and upwardly through the drying chamber. Hot air is thus introduced into the drying chamber at many points and on different levels and it is being continuously drawn oif b the stack 24, thus insuring thorough drylng of the compound in the ends before they discharge through the opening 27 a. It may also be said that the can ends are constantly changing position after their introduction into the drying chamber as they are being propelled around and around the chamber due to the continuous rotary movement of the table 9. During their travel around and around the chamber they. rub against the inner and outer Walls of the housing and as such are frictionally engaged and their position continuously changed, thus further insurin uniform exposure to the hot air circulating t rough the housing.

While a single can 'end feeder 1s shown in Figs. 3 and 4, it is obvious that two, three or more may be employed as can ends may be introduced through openings, such as shown at 27, arranged at numerous points around the peripheral edge ofthe table, and while other features are more or less specifically described, I twish it understood that various changes may be resorted to within the sco e of the appended claims. Similarly, that t e materials and finishes of the several parts emplo ed may be such as the manufacturer may ecide, or varying conditions or uses msg demand.

aving thus described m invention, what I claim and desire to secure y Letters Patent 1s- I1. A drier comprising a cylindrical shaped vertically disposed housing, a table forming a bottom therefor, said housing having an openin formed adjacent the lower end throug which can ends are introduced and a second opening adjacent the top throu h which the ends are discharged, means or imparting movement to the ends around the interior of the drier, means subjecting the ends to a drying action while in the drier, and aspring actuated arm disposed in the housing adjacent the discharge opening and engageable with the can ends and exerting an outward pressure thereon to insure discharge of the can ends.

2. A drier comprising a cylindrical shaped vertically disposed housing, a rotatable table forming a bottom therefor, said housing having an openin formed adjacent the lower end throu h w ich can ends are introduced and deposited upon the table, said housing having a second opening formed therein adjacent the upper end through which the can ends are discharged, means subjectin the ends to a drying action while in the ier, and a spring arm disposed in the housing adjacent the dischar opening and engageable with the can en and forcing them outwardlg through the discharge o ning.

3. drier comprising a cylin rical shaped vertically disposed housing, a table forming a bottom therefor, said housing having an openin formed adjacent the lower end throug which can ends are introduced and a second opening adjacent the top throu h which the ends are discharged, means or imparting a continuous rotary movement to the table, means subjecting the ends to a drying action while in the drier, and spring actuated means disposed in the housing adjacent the discharge opening and engageable with the can ends to exert an outward pressure thereon to insure discharge of the can ends through the discharge opening.

4. In a machine of the character described, a continuously rotated table, said table having an inclined annular surface formed on its outer edge, a can end feeder disposed at one side of the table, means on the feeder for delli livering can ends one by one and for directing the ends one by oneup the inclined annular surface of the table and in under can ends previously delivered thereto, and a housing co-operating with the table to receive and retain the ends as they are being delivered to the table surface.

5. In a machine of the character described, a continuously rotated table, said table havingan inclined annular surface formed on its outer edge, a can end feeder disposed at one side ofthe table, means on the feeder for delivering can ends one by one and for directing the ends one by one up the inclined annular surface of the table and Vin under canv ends previously delivered thereto, a housing co-operating with the table to receive'and retain the ends as they are being delivered to the table surface, said housing being vertically disposed and cylindrical in shape, and means for automatically discharging the'can ends from the upper end of said housing.

6. A drier comprising a cylindrical shaped vertically disposed housing, a table forming a bottomtherefor; said housing having an opening formed adjacent the lower end through which can ends are introduced and a second opening through which the ends are discharged, means for imparting movement to the ends around the interior ofthe drier, means for subjecting the ends to a drying action while in the drier, a can end feeding means comprising an inclined surface provided on the table and a feeding member adapted to deliver can ends to the table at a level next below the pile of ends previously delivered and force them against the said inclined surface underneath said pile, and a spring actuated means disposed in the housing adjacent the discharge opening and engageable with the can ends to exert an outward pressure thereon to insure discharge of the can ends through the discharge opening.

9. In a machine of the character described a circular rotatable table'adapted to receive and support a plurality of can ends, and means for stacking the can ends upon said table into an irregular pile, said means comprising an annular inclined surface provided along the outer edge of said table, and a feeding member adapted to deliver can ends to the table at a level next below the pile of ends vpreviously delivered and force them against the said inclined surface underneath the pile.

FRANK KRUEGER.

member acting in conjunction with an in- V clined surface provided on said table and adapted to deliver can ends to said table and to elevate them by means of said inclined surface from the level of the inlet opening to that ofthe discharge opening, and a spring actuated arm disposed inthe housing adjacent the discharge opening and engageable with the can ends exerting an outward pressue thereon to insure discharge of the can en s.

7 A drier comprising a'cylindrical shaped vertically disposed housing, a rotatable tableY forming a bottom therefor; said housing having an opening formed adjacent the lower end through which can ends are introduced and deposited upon the table, and a second opening formed adjacent the upper end throu h which the can ends are discharged, means su Jecting the ends to a drying action while in the drier, a can end feeding member acting .in conjunction with an annular inclined surv face provided on said table and adapted to v deliver can ends tosaid table and to elevate them by means of said inclined surface from the level of the inlet opening to that of the dlscharge opening, and a spring arm adapted can ends through the discharge opening.

8. A drier comprising a cylindrical shaped vertically disposed housing, a table forming a bottom therefore; said housing having an opening adjacent the lower end through 

